第7部分(第5/7 頁)

　enjoyment　in　itself　keener　than　that　experienced　by　another　man；　and　intensified；　prolonged；　by　the　power……which　es　to　him　we　know　not　how……of　recording　in　visible　or　audible　form　that　emotion　of　rare　vitality。　Art；　in　some　degree；　is　within　the　scope　of　every　human　being；　were　he　but　the　ploughman　who　utters　a　few　would…be　melodious　notes；　the　mere　oute　of　health　and　strength；　in　the　field　at　sunrise；　he　sings；　or　tries　to；　prompted　by　an　unusual　gusto　in　being；　and　the　rude　stave　is　all　his　own。　Another　was　he；　who　also　at　the　plough；　sang　of　the　daisy；　of　the　field…mouse；　or　shaped　the　rhythmic　tale　of　Tam　o'　Shanter。　Not　only　had　life　a　zest　for　him　incalculably　stronger　and　subtler　than　that　which　stirs　the　soul　of　Hodge；　but　he　uttered　it　in　word　and　music　such　as　go　to　the　heart　of　mankind；　and　hold　a　magic　power　for　ages。

For　some　years　there　has　been　a　great　deal　of　talk　about　Art　in　our　country。　It　began；　I　suspect；　when　the　veritable　artistic　impulse　of　the　Victorian　time　had　flagged；　when　the　energy　of　a　great　time　was　all　but　exhausted。　Principles　always　bee　a　matter　of　vehement　discussion　when　practice　is　at　ebb。　Not　by　taking　thought　does　one　bee　an　artist；　or　grow　even　an　inch　in　that　direction……　which　is　not　at　all　the　same　as　saying　that　he　who　IS　an　artist　cannot　profit　by　conscious　effort。　Goethe　（the　example　so　often　urged　by　imitators　unlike　him　in　every　feature　of　humanity）　took　thought　enough　about　his　Faust；　but　what　of　those　youthtime　lyrics；　not　the　least　precious　of　his　achievements；　which　were　scribbled　as　fast　as　pen　could　go；　thwartwise　on　the　paper；　because　he　could　not　stop　to　set　it　straight？　Dare　I　pen；　even　for　my　own　eyes；　the　venerable　truth　that　an　artist　is　born　and　not　made？　It　seems　not　superfluous；　in　times　which　have　h